Boot or shoe polishing machine.



PATENTED OCT. 25, 1904. R. S. SPEER.

BOOT 0R SHOE POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED DEG.3, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-$1333! 1.

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PATENTED OCT. 25, 1904.

, R. S. SPEER.

BOOT OR SHOE POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 3, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

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Witnesses UNITED A STATES Patented October 25, 1904.

ROBE T STEWART sPEER, or SEDGWICK, KANSAS.

BOOT OR SHOE POLISHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,432, dated October 25, 1904.

Application filed December 3, 1903. Serial No.183,584. (No model.)

To (til whom, it'nuty concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT STEWART SPEER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sedgwick, in the county of Harvey and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot or Shoe Polishing Machines; and 1 do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for polishing or shining boots and shoes. 7

The object of my invention is to provide a machine of this character which will be simple in construction, durable in use, efficient in operation, and comparatively inexpensive to produce.

l/Vith this and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts. as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical front-to-rear sectional View.- Fig. 4 is a'vertical sectional view taken on'theline act of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 1s a vertical sectional view,

on an enlarged scale, through the rotary brush and its casing. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the device for applying a polish or blacking to the brush.

In the embodiment of my invention as-illustrated in the drawings the numeral 1 denotes a casing comprising a horizontally-disposed rectangular base portion 2 and a vertically-disposed rectangular portion 3, mounted upon the rear of the base portion 2. The top 4 of the base portion is formed with a circular opening 5, adapted to receive the boot or shoe which is to be polished, and said opening may be closed when the machine is not in use by a hinged cover 6. Said cover may be secured in either its opened or closed position by a suitable fastening device, preferably in the form of a pivoted hook or catch 7, which is adapted to be engaged with either of the eyes or lugs 8, secured to the front 9 of the vertical portion 3 and to the front 10 of the horizontal base portion 2 of said casing. Said front 10 is provided with a hinged door 11 for a purpose hereinafter described, which is held in its closed position by a pivoted catch or other fastening device 12. The back 13 of the casing is hinged to afford ready access to its interior, and a suitable fastening device is provided for securing said back in its closed position.

Secured within the base portion 2 of the casing to its bottom 14,.directly beneath the opening 5 in its top, is a foot-rest 15 for supporting the boot or shoe while being shined or polished by a rubbing device 16. My in vention contemplates a rubbing or polishing device of any kindwhich is adapted to be moved around the shoe as the latter is supported upon the foot-rest and to conform to the shape of the shoe. The same is here shown as a flexible brush. The bristles 17 of said brush are mounted or secured upon a flexible backing 18, preferably of leather, of approximately cylindrical form, here shown as of frusto-conical form, and has a band or ring. Said bristles are secured around the inner side or face of this band 18 from its bottom edge up to about two-thirds of its height or width, and they vary in length from the top to the bottom of the brush, as clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the bristles in the upper portion of the brush being the longest and those around the bottom edge being the shortest. The uppcredge of the flexible band 18 is bolted, riveted, or otherwise secured to an annular band or ring 19, which is mounted in any suitable manner so as .to rotate concentric with the opening 5 in the top of the casing. As seen in the drawings, said ring is so mounted by pro viding it with a rectangularly-projecting an nular flange 20, which rotates in an annular groove or recess 21, formed in the top 4 of the casing concentric with said opening 5. In order to rotate said ring, and hence the brush, a gear 22 is secured to the periphery of the former beneath the top 4 of the casing, and said gear 22 may be rotated in any desired manner, by hand-power or otherwise. As shown in the drawings, it is in mesh with a ioo gear 23, secured upon a shaft 24:, extending vertically in the vertical portion 3 of the casing and mounted to rotate in bearings 25, secured upon the inner side of the front 9 of said casing. To the upper end of said shaft is secured a beveled pinion 26, which meshes with a beveled gear 27 secured upon a hori- Zontal shaft 28, which has its bearings in the front side of the casing and in a cross-beam or IO brace 30, connecting the sides of said vertical portion 3 of the casing. The front end of said shaft 28 extends through the said front 9 and carries a crank-handle 31, by means of which it may be rotated to operate the brush, as will be readily understood upon reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings. In order to apply a polish or blacking to the brush, I provide a holder 32 in the form of a tubular casing 33, adapted to receive a stick or cake of shoe-blacking and provided with an open-work top or cover 34:. Said holder is secured upon one end of a rock-shaft 35, which is mounted upon the bottom 1 of the casing, and in its normal position said holder rests upon the bottom 14 out of contact with the brush. In order to swing said holder up into the path of the bristles of the brush, said rock-shaft 35 is provided at its opposite end with a crank 36, which is connected by a link 37, extending vertically in the vertical portion 3 of the casing to the inner end of an operating-lever 39, pivoted in bearings 40 and projecting through an opening in the front 9 of the casing. The front end of said lever is provided with a handpiece 41, which when depressed will cause the blacking or polish holder to be elevated, so that the bristles may come in contact with the blacking or polish through the open-work top of its holder, as will be readily seen.

The operation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the following: When it is desired to polish or shine a shoe or boot, the foot is placed in the opening 5 and the shoe supported uponthe rest 15.

The crank-handle 31 is then turned, and by means of the gearing previously described the brush 16 will be rotated about the shoe or boot. Owing to the shape of the brush and the bristles of the same and owing to the fact that the shoe is longer than it is broad and owing also to the flexible backing 18 and to the fact that it is entirely unsupported excepting at its upper end, so that its lower portion is entirely limp, the brush will be distorted to conform to the shape of the shoe, and the bristles will come in contact with every part of it to thoroughly clean and polish the same, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. WVhen it is desired to apply a polish or blacking to the shoe, the handle 41 is depressed for an instant while the brush is being rotated, and the latter will take up the polish or blacking upon its bristles and apply it to the shoe. By providing the door 11 upon the front of the easing the holder 32 may be supplied with a fresh cake or stick of polish when necessary and the interior of the casing may be readily cleaned.

It will be understood that instead of operating the machine by hand a suitable motor actuated by any kind of power may be provided in the casing for operating the brush.

If found desirable, the polish or blacking applying device may be dispensed with and the machine simply used for shining the shoes, the blacking or polish being applied by hand before the foot is inserted in the machine. It will also be understood that I do not limit myself to the construction herein shown and described and that the machine may be made of any size, shape, and material.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a machine of the class described, a revoluble, flexible polishing device of approximately cylindrical form, suspended from its upper end and adapted to be distorted to enable it to conform to the shape of a shoe placed therein.

2. In a machine of the class described, a revoluble, flexible, polishing-brush of approximately cylindrical form, suspended from its upper end and having bristles on its inner side, said bristles increasing in length toward the upper end of said brush.

3. A machine for polishing boots and shoes, comprising a suitable casing having an opening to receive the shoe to be polished, a shoe support in said casing, an annular ring mounted to rotate concentric with said opening, a flexible brush depending from said ring and surrounding said shoe-support, and means for rotating said ring, substantially as described.

' L. A machine for polishing boots and shoes, comprising a suitable casing having an opening to receive the shoe to be polished, a shoesupport in said casing, an annular ring mounted to rotate concentric with said opening, a flexible brush depending from said ring and surrounding said shoe-support, a gear secured to said ring, an operating-shaft, and gearing between said shaft and said gear, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT STEWAR" SPEER. Witnesses:

H. (JiOODELL, J. C. EvnRsoLE. 

